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Samsung Dishwasher 4C or 4E Code: Not Getting Water? Fixes

Low urgencyUpdated Checked against Samsung US Support

Also shown or searched as: 4E

On a Samsung dishwasher, 4C (also 4E) is the water supply error: water is not reaching the dishwasher at the pressure or temperature it needs. Open the supply valve under the sink fully, check the supply line for kinks, and thaw it if the cabinet got below freezing. If 4C stays, have a technician check the inlet valve.

What to try first

Safety: Turn the supply valve off before you loosen any fitting, and thaw frozen pipes with warm towels, never a flame or a heat gun.

  1. 1

    Open the supply valve all the way

    The valve is usually under the kitchen sink, on the hot water line. Turn a round handle counterclockwise until it stops; a quarter-turn lever is open when it lines up with the pipe.

  2. 2

    Check that the kitchen has water and pressure

    Run the hot tap at the kitchen sink. If it sputters, runs weak or stays off, the trouble is the house supply rather than the dishwasher.

  3. 3

    Straighten the supply line under the sink

    Move anything stored against the line and look for sharp bends or flattened spots. Samsung says supply line problems can bring up error codes and recommends a stainless steel line.

  4. 4

    Thaw a frozen line gently

    If the sink cabinet got below freezing, open its doors to let warm room air in. Samsung's UK guide suggests wrapping a frozen valve in a towel soaked in hot water, about 122 to 140°F, and repeating until it thaws. Keep your hands clear of scalding water and never use a flame.

  5. 5

    Reset the power

    Switch the dishwasher's circuit breaker off, wait about 2 minutes, switch it back on and start a Normal cycle.

  6. 6

    Listen once the opening drain ends

    Stay by the dishwasher for the first minute or so. You should hear water rushing in after the short drain at the start. If the tub stays dry and 4C returns, stop there and request service.

Most likely causes of 4C

  1. 1. The supply valve under the sink is closed or only partly open (most common)

    4C started after plumbing work, a new faucet or a new dishwasher, or the valve handle stops short of fully open.

  2. 2. A kinked or crushed supply line (common)

    The line bends sharply where it passes through the cabinet wall, or cleaning supplies stored under the sink press on it.

  3. 3. Low house pressure, or the water supply is shut off (common)

    The kitchen hot tap runs weak or not at all, or the water was turned off for work in the house or on the street. Samsung's manuals list a suspended water supply as a cause.

  4. 4. A clogged inlet screen or a failed water inlet valve (common)

    Water reaches the dishwasher with good pressure, yet the tub stays dry. Grit or mineral scale in the small screen at the valve can block the flow, and a valve that hums with no water moving has likely stuck.

  5. 5. A frozen valve or supply line (less common)

    The dishwasher sits on an outside wall or over a cold crawl space, and 4C showed up during a cold snap.

  6. 6. A wiring or control fault at the inlet valve (less common)

    Other parts act up at the same time, such as the door switch. iFixit flags the door wiring harness on Samsung dishwashers as a known weak spot that can also affect the inlet valve.

When to call a pro

  • 4C comes back with the valve fully open, the line straight and strong flow at the kitchen tap.
  • The supply valve under the sink leaks, will not turn, or will not open fully: that is a plumber's job.
  • The supply line is swollen, cracked or leaking. Samsung's manual says to replace it right away.
  • A frozen line does not thaw, or it thawed and now drips.
  • Every tap in the house runs weak, which means the house supply needs a plumber before the dishwasher can fill.

What a 4C repair costs

$80–$170

HomeGuide's 2026 national range for replacing a dishwasher water inlet valve, parts and labor; the part alone costs $10 to $40 and the job usually takes under 30 minutes. Opening a valve or freeing a pinched supply line yourself costs nothing; minimum service fees run $70 to $130.

Source

What 4C means on a Samsung dishwasher

Samsung's US code list pairs 4C with 4E as the water supply error and words it with care: the dishwasher is not getting water at the pressure or temperature that it needs. Its user manuals call the same fault a water supply check and tell owners to look for a valve that is closed, clogged or frozen, and for pressure below the minimum.

On models with no digital display, Samsung's blinking-light guide shows the water supply fault with the Auto or Quick light blinking.

Samsung's numbers for pressure and temperature

Samsung asks for 20 to 120 psi at the supply and hot water between 120 and 149°F. It warns that pressure under 20 psi can make the water valve fail and not shut off properly, and that uneven water temperature can bring up codes. Its installation manual says the dishwasher must be connected to a hot water supply.

So 4C is low urgency for the dishes but worth chasing for the house. A valve that is starved of pressure is the one Samsung says may not close. If the kitchen tap is weak too, a plumber looking at the house supply will do more good than any dishwasher part.

4C, 9E and 3E are three different water codes

Samsung's US list has three water codes that are easy to mix up. 4C means water is not arriving as it should. 9E is the low water level error: there is not enough water in the dishwasher. 3E is the high temperature water supply error: the water coming in is too hot, and Samsung asks owners to make sure the hot water supply is not set above 176°F.

Each points somewhere different, so read the display carefully before you start on any fix.

Why the inlet screen is a job for a technician

Samsung's UK guide lists a valve filter clogged with debris as a cause of 4C, and iFixit adds that a dirty screen can mean the valve has scale inside too. The screen sits where the supply line joins the dishwasher, so reaching it means working under the machine with the water off and the line disconnected.

Samsung's manual asks owners to leave disassembly and repairs to authorized technicians. A fitting that is not resealed properly can also drip into the base pan and swap 4C for a leak code, which is a worse problem than the one you started with.

When 4C returns within seconds

A Samsung dishwasher begins every cycle by draining for about 35 seconds, so a pump running with no water coming in at the very start is normal. Samsung Canada's guide says to let that finish before deciding anything is wrong.

A 4C that reappears seconds after a reset, with the valve open and good pressure, is another matter. One owner of a DW80K5050US had already checked the pressure, the supply hose and the drain hose and still got 4C within seconds; Samsung's community manager said the next step was service.

What a technician will check

  • The screen at the water inlet valve, where the supply line connects under the dishwasher, cleaned or replaced along with the valve if scale has built up.
  • The water inlet valve itself: whether it opens when the control calls for water, and whether its coils test within range.
  • Power and wiring to the valve, including the door wiring harness.
  • Pressure and temperature at the dishwasher connection, measured against Samsung's 20 to 120 psi and 120 to 149°F.
  • The control board, only once the valve and the wiring check out.

What fixed it for other readers

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Questions people ask about Samsung 4C

Is 4E the same as 4C on a Samsung dishwasher?

Yes. Samsung lists 4C and 4E together as the water supply error. Some models show one and some the other, and the checks are the same for both.

Can a dirty filter in the tub cause 4C?

Not the filter at the bottom of the tub. That one sits on the drain side and affects draining and cleaning. The screen that matters for 4C is at the water inlet valve, where the supply line connects.

Can I run my Samsung dishwasher on cold water to avoid 4C?

No. Samsung's installation manual says the dishwasher must be connected to a hot water supply, and its manual notes that a cold supply makes cycles run longer because the water has to be heated.

How much does it cost to fix a 4C error?

Often nothing, because a closed valve or a pinched line is the usual cause. If the inlet valve has failed, HomeGuide puts a replacement at $80 to $170 including labor; a visit alone runs $70 to $130.

Sources